Question 1

Lucy has volunteered at the local crisis center.While she is performing as a volunteer,she is given permission to gather data on the number of women who report being abused,and the number of women who later participated in counseling.Lucy is using __________ as a method of gathering data.

Accepted Answer

Lucy is directly observing and participating in the activities of the crisis center as a volunteer, which falls under participant observation. The other options do not apply because representative sampling refers to selecting a sample that accurately reflects the entire population, secondary analysis involves using existing data sources, and content analysis involves systematically analyzing the content of communication, such as written or spoken language.

Question 2

__________ is the study of social life in its natural setting: observing and interviewing people where they live,work,and play.

Accepted Answer

Field research involves going out into the natural setting where people live, work, and play in order to observe and interview them, making it the best choice for the given description. The survey involves asking questions through questionnaires or interviews but doesn't necessarily involve natural settings. Secondary analysis involves analyzing previously collected data. The experiment involves manipulating variables and studying their effects, which is not specified in the given description.

Question 3

__________ refers to the process of collecting data while being part of the activities of the group that the researcher is studying.

Accepted Answer

Participant observation is a research method in which the researcher becomes a part of the group being studied and collects data from within the group. This method is commonly used in ethnographic research to understand the culture and social practices of a particular group.

Question 4

In a __________ experiment,subjects are studied in a closed setting so that researchers can maintain as much control as possible over the research.

Accepted Answer

A laboratory experiment is conducted in a controlled environment where researchers can manipulate variables and exercise a greater degree of control over extraneous factors.

Question 5

A(n) __________ is a detailed study of the life and activities of a group of people by researchers who may live with that group over a period of years.

Accepted Answer

An ethnography is a detailed study of the life and activities of a group of people by researchers who may live with that group over a period of years. Correlational studies involve examining the relationship between variables, experiments involve manipulating variables to test cause-and-effect relationships, and content analysis involves examining media or other artifacts for specific themes or patterns.

Question 6

In an experiment,the __________ contains the subjects who are not exposed to the independent variable.

Accepted Answer

The control group is the group in an experiment that serves as a basis of comparison with the experimental group. The control group is not exposed to the independent variable, while the experimental group is exposed to the independent variable. Therefore, D is the correct answer as it accurately describes the group that is not exposed to the independent variable. A is incorrect because it refers to the group that is exposed to the independent variable, B is not a commonly used term in experimental design, and C does not accurately describe the purpose of the group.

Question 7

A(n) __________ is an extended,open-ended interaction between an interviewer and an interviewee.

Accepted Answer

An unstructured interview is typically an extended, open-ended interaction between an interviewer and an interviewee where the interviewer asks broad, open-ended questions and allows the interviewee to guide the conversation. Ethnography is a research method that involves a long-term engagement with a particular group or community to understand their culture and way of life. Structured interviews involve a predetermined set of questions that are asked in a specific order to all participants. Secondary analysis involves analyzing data that has already been collected and published by other researchers.

Question 8

The sociological perspective incorporates theory and research to arrive at a more accurate understanding of the "hows" and "whys" of human social interaction.

Accepted Answer

The sociological perspective does indeed use theory and research to better understand the mechanisms behind human social interaction.

Question 9

In Suicide,sociologist Emile Durkheim documented that a high suicide rate was symptomatic of a large-scale social problem.This research was in direct contradiction to the historically held notion that suicide was due to psychological illness.

Accepted Answer

Durkheim's research found that social factors, such as social integration or lack thereof, played a significant role in suicide rates, challenging the idea that it was solely a result of individual psychology.

Question 10

Watching students in a college classroom in order to determine the number of times they participated in a class discussion would be an example of __________ field research.

Accepted Answer

The scenario described involves observing students firsthand in their natural setting and recording the frequency of a specific behavior (participation in class discussion). This is a classic example of participant observation field research. It allows the researcher to gather rich, qualitative data about the participants' behavior, attitudes, and experiences while minimizing the potential of influencing or altering the behavior being observed.

Question 11

A(n) __________ is a carefully designed research method in which the researcher studies the impact of certain variables on subjects' attitudes or behavior.

Accepted Answer

An experiment is a research method that involves the manipulation of an independent variable to observe its effects on a dependent variable, while controlling for other potential influences. This allows the researcher to determine causality and identify the impact of specific variables on a given outcome.

Question 12

__________ refers to changes in a subject's behavior caused by the researcher's presence or by the subject's awareness of being studied.

Accepted Answer

The Hawthorne effect refers to changes in behavior caused by the awareness of being studied. Triangulation refers to the use of multiple methods or data sources to increase the validity of research findings. Redundancy refers to the inclusion of multiple measures of the same construct to increase the reliability of research findings. Multicollinearity refers to the correlation between predictor variables in a regression analysis, which can cause problems with the interpretation of the results.

Question 13

In an experiment,the __________ contains the subjects who are exposed to an independent variable to study its effect on them.

Accepted Answer

The experimental group is the group in an experiment that is exposed to an independent variable to observe its effect. The other options (correlated group, control group, and deviant group) are not typically used in this context.

Question 14

If an experiment were conducted to examine whether viewing pornography increased the likelihood of committing rape,the group that did not view pornographic films would be considered the __________ group.

Accepted Answer

The control group is the group that does not receive the intervention or treatment being tested in an experiment. In this case, the treatment being tested is the viewing of pornography and the control group would be the group that did not view pornographic films. The independent variable is the variable being manipulated (in this case, the viewing of pornography), the dependent variable is the variable being measured (in this case, the likelihood of committing rape), and the experimental group is the group that receives the intervention or treatment being tested.

Question 15

In their research,Middletown and Middletown in Transition,sociologists Robert Lynd and Helen Lynd lived for a number of years in Muncie,Indiana to research daily lives of town residents.This is an example of a(n):

Accepted Answer

An ethnography is a research method used to understand the culture and daily lives of a particular group of people. The Lynds' research in Muncie, Indiana involved living among and observing the town residents, making it an example of an ethnography. B) experimental, C) content analysis, and D) survey are all different research methods that would not apply to the Lynds' research in Muncie.

Question 16

The term __________ was developed by sociologists Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss to describe an inductive method of theory construction wherein researchers collect and analyze data simultaneously.

Accepted Answer

The term "grounded theory" was developed by sociologists Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss to describe an inductive method of theory construction wherein researchers collect and analyze data simultaneously.

Question 17

Most participant observation research takes the form of a(n) __________,which is often an in-depth,multifaceted investigation of a single event,person,or social grouping.

Accepted Answer

Participant observation research involves the researcher immersing themselves in the social setting being studied and observing or participating in social behaviors. The most common form of this research is the case study, which focuses on a single event, person, or social grouping and provides a detailed, multifaceted analysis of their behaviors and experiences. Experiment and correlational studies involve more controlled and structured research designs, while content analysis involves the systematic analysis of media or communication content. Therefore, the best choice for this question is C) case study.

Question 18

The Code of Ethics of __________ sets forth certain basic standards that sociologists must follow in conducting research.

Accepted Answer

The American Sociological Association (ASA) is the organization that sets forth a Code of Ethics for sociologists to follow in conducting research. The other organizations listed, while important and influential in their own right, do not specifically focus on the ethical guidelines for sociological research.

Question 19

In __________ sampling,the researcher interviews a few individuals who possess a certain characteristic; these interviewees are then asked to supply the names of others with the same characteristic.This process continues until the sample is an acceptable size and no new information of any significance is being gained.

Accepted Answer

This is describing snowball sampling, where the sample is built upon referrals from existing participants who meet a certain criteria.

Question 20

Because of particular strengths and weaknesses of all research approaches,researchers often employ multiple research methods and theoretical perspectives.This practice is known as:

Accepted Answer

Triangulation is the practice of using multiple research methods and theoretical perspectives to gather and analyze data. This helps to strengthen the overall validity and reliability of the research findings by reducing the influence of biases or limitations that may exist in any one approach or perspective. The other options (A, B, D) are not relevant or accurate descriptions of this practice.

Quiz 2: Sociological Research Methods